EGGLESS NAN KHATAI

Nankhatai is an authentic Indian sweet and savory eggless cookie that can be easily prepared at home. The texture is somewhat like a short bread. It’s eggless biscuit made mostly during Diwali. But these biscuits are always available in Indian bakeries. Right from baby to adult everyone’s favourite.I love nan khatai as it’s been my favourite since childhood. I remember, that time my baba used to bring them from a bakery at our place. Still remember the aroma and sight of all the baked goodies in the bakery. While you make these goodies your house will smell of lovely aroma. 

My daughter loved that fragrance which tempted her to pick a cookie and finish it. She tasted them straightaway from the baking tray. Mostly these cookies are white in colour. A dash of gram flour is added to flour instead of semolina. There are lot of versions to make these cookies. You could make your own version of cookies.

📌📌Watch the full video recipe here 📌📌

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup / 130 gm All Purpose Flour/ maida

2-1/2 tablespoon / 30 gm Semolina  [fine sooji]

1/2 Cup / 60 gm Besan/ Gram Flour 

A pinch of salt

½ Cup / 115 gm Unsalted Butter / Clarified Butter [homemade ghee] at room temperature

½ Cup / 80 gm Powdered Sugar [adjust as per your taste]

¼ teaspoon Green Cardamom Powder

1 tablespoon finely Chopped Pistachio for garnishing

METHOD:

 STEP 1 – Preheat the oven to 350°F [180° C] for at least 10 minutes.

STEP 2 - Sieve all purpose flour, semolina, gram flour and powder sugar in a bowl 

and add salt and cardamom powder. Mix it well. 

STEP 3 –  Add melted room temperature clarified butter in it and make a smooth and soft dough. 

STEP 4 – Divide into small lemon sized equal balls. Approximately 18 balls.

 STEP 5 – Shape each ball into round peda and gently press them.

STEP 6 – Line a butter paper/ parchment paper / aluminium foil over baking tray and arrange the dough balls on it and top them with chopped nuts.

STEP 7 - Gently press the nuts using your fingers.

STEP 8 -  Keep enough space between each cookie because it will expand in size during baking.

STEP 9 – Place baking tray in preheated oven at 180 degree Centigrade for around 15 minutes or until cookie starts to turn light golden brown.

STEP 10 – After 15 minutes, check the cookies and keep an eye on it while further cooking if needed.

[every oven has different settings and it may little longer or shorter time].

STEP 11 – Keep the baking tray in the oven for next 5 minutes.

STEP 12 -  Remove baking tray from oven and transfer cookies over cooling rack.

Cookies will be soft at this time but will turn crispy and hard as they cool down.

STEP 13 – Once at room temperature, they are ready to serve. Transfer them to an air tight container for storage and consume within 2 weeks.

Serve the crunchy and eggless  nan khatai with a hot cup of tea as a tea time snack or with any savory like chakali, namak para or namkeen sev etc.

NOTES:  * Do not change the ratio of butter and all other ingredients.

               * If dough is very soft in step no. 8 then keep it covered in refrigerator for around 10-15 minutes before making raw cookies.

              * You can use ½ - ½ cup wheat flour and all purpose flour instead of using 1 cup of all purpose flour.

             * Do not forget to preheat the oven for at least 10 minutes as right temperature is absolutely necessary for perfect baking.

              * Every oven has different settings and can take different time to cook. So keep an eye on nankhatai after about 15 minutes.

             * Instead of pistachio on the top my daughter used choco chips on some cookies and made choco chip cookies.